Multiple total internal reflection cell with cooling module



Dec. 3( 3,486,829

Filed Sept. lo, 1:10a A .meets-Sheet 1 FIC-).2

w22? WL @37M ATT RNEYS Dec. 3f). 1969 P. A. WILKS. JR 3,486,829

MULTIPLE TOTAL INTERNAL vFUEIFLECTION CELL WITH COOLING MODULE Filed Sept. l5. 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGA 28 'l i. (H28 lNvEN 0R A. kga/f5, Je. Agnew TT RNEYj /Pm/L ttes lllS. Cl. 356-246 4 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DESCLOEURE A spectroscopy apparatus having at least a pair of parallel total internal reflection plates and having the sample to be analyzed trapped therebetween. The sample can be made relatively thin and the number of reflections from both plates through the same thickness of sample result in more energy being obtained.

This invention relates to spectroscopy, and particularly to an improved capillary internal reflection cell for use in the analysis of samples by internal reflection spectroscopy, also known as frustrated multiple internal reflection spectroscopy or attenuated total reflection spec-y troscopy.

Internal reflection spectroscopy is based on the fact that a portion of the energy in a radiation beam being totally internally reflected in a transmitting medium or plate, escapes from the medium and then is returned into the medium with each reflection. If an absorbing sample is brought into contact With the medium, radiation will be absorbed at wave lengths where the sample absorbs in much the same fashion as in transmission spectroscopy..

The amount of absorption of energy by the sample depends upon the reflective indices of refraction of the transmitting medium and the range, the angle of incidence of the radiation beam as it strikes the reflecting surface, and the number of reflections of the radiation beam from the reflecting face or faces of the reflecting medium in contact with the sample.

A single plate has been employed as the transmitting medium, the plate having beveled edges and parallel faces extending therebetween. A ray of the source is arranged to strike one of the beveled faces at an angle greater than the critical angle, causing the ray to be transmitted into the transmitting medium, less a reflection loss which is a function of the index of refraction of the medium. When the radiation beam reaches one of the parallel faces, it will strike that face at less than the critical angle and will be totally internally reflected to the other parallel face. The beam again will be totally reflected back to the initial face down the medium until it reaches the beveled edge opposite that at which the radiation beam entered the medium. At this point it will pass out of the plate or medium and to the indicating or recording means.

lf a sample of material is brought into Contact With the exposed parallel faces of the plate, the beam will penetrate a small amount, in the order of the wave length of the radiation, into the sample with each reflection and the radiation will be absorbed at those wave length where the sample absorbs. Although the penetration into the sample is so slight, the amount of absorption is small but is multiplied by the number of reflections. To increase the number of reflections, the plate may be either increased in length or made thinner.

The space normally available in sampling systems of known spectrometers provides a limitation upon the length that the transmission medium may extend. Additionally, there is a limitation on the thinness of the plate medium that. can be tolerated, since the size of the beveled enice trance face with respect to the image of the source ray focused on it limits the energy that it can accept, and the level of the system drops olf rapidly despite the in creased number of reflections.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a system of internal reflection spectroscopy that will overm come the above and other difficulties of known systems.

Another object of the invention is to provide an internal reflection cell having a greater number of reflections and hence a greater sensitivity than known reflection cells.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a capillary internal reflection cell capable of making spectrographic studies of thin layers on films.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a capillary internal reflection cell capable of making spectrographic studies of materials which by their shape or hardness make poor contact with internal reflection plates.

A still further object of the invention is to provide such a capillary internal reflection cell capable of making analysis of minute quantities of material condensed on the surfaces of the internal reflection medium from gas streams such as the effluent from gas chromotograph.

In one aspect of the invention, a capillary internal re flection cell may comprise a plurality of plates capable of transmitting radiation rays, which plates are stacked one on top of the other. Two opposite edges of these iplates may be beveled such that the bevel on one of the plates is coextensive with the bevel on the other.

In another aspect of the invention, a sample to be analyzed may be located between the plates and held in a manner such that a minute film of constant thickness is provided between the stacked plates. The faces of the plates are parallel, and a source of radiant energy is arranged such that rays therefrom will pass into the coextensive `beveled edges of the plates at an angle greater than the critical angle so that the rays are transmitted into the transmitting medium in the form of plates, less a reflection loss which is a function of the index of refraction of the plate medium. When, however, the radiation beam reaches one of the parallel faces of each plate, it will strike it at an angle less than the critical angle and hence be totally internally reflected to the opposite face of the respective plates. Again, the beam will be totally reflected back to the first face of each plate a plurality of times until the beams reach the opposite beveled edges at which point they will pass out of the plates.

In a further aspect of the invention, a reflection spectrophotometer may be arranged to receive the outgoing beams where it will produce a spectrum which can be compared with a conventional transmission curve.

In a still further aspect of the invention, a solid-state fraction trapping unit may be provided for trapping fractions of a sample to be analyzed.

In another aspect of the invention, the analyzer may comprise a base or cooling module which supports the lower reflective plate of a capillary internal reflection cell. The upper plate of the capillary cell may be mounted in a frame that is hinged to the base and is adapted to be opened and closed, thereby separating the two plates, when the unit is held with the open end facing the exhaust of a chromatograph, thereby receiving the exhaust carrier gas through a delivery head extended between the reflector plates of the capillary cell. In this way, the internal volume bounded by the reflector plates will be continuously flushed by the carrier for that gas to prevent the entry and condensation of atmospheric moisture. As the desired fraction leaves the exhaust of the chromatograph, it condenses between the two reflector plates of the capillary cell.

In another aspect of the invention, threaded means may be provided in the hinged frame member supporting the upper transmission plate medium for locking the frame` to tht` base. and with the upper and lower plate media in contact with each other and trapping the sample to be analyzed.

Iii a still further aspect of the invention. the base and frame member may be provided with openings extending therethrough so that additional layers of the sample to he analyzed may be located on the exposed surfaces of the plate transmission media. ln this way, greater sensitivity of the cell is achieved since three layers of the sample absorb portions of the transmitted ray passing through the cell. consequently providing an increase in the definition of the spectrum from the material being analyzed.

Th above, other objects and novel features of the invcntion will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings which are merely exeinplary.

In the drawings:

FlG. l is a schematic showing of a capillary internal rel ection cell embodying a two-plate transmission medium between which is trapped a layer of a sample to be analyzed;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. l in which layers of the sample to be analyzed are located not only between the two parallel transmission plate media, but also on the exposed surfaces thereof to thereby increase the definition of the spectrum within the spectrophotometer'.

FIG. 3 is a top plait view of a hand-held device that supports the type of cell shown in FIGS. l and 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevational view taken substantially along line tl-t of FIG. 3;

`FIG. 5 is a sectional elevational view taken substantially along line 55 of FIG. 3'. and

FIG. 6 is a view of the device of FIG. 3, shown with a charging head arranged with the device open.

Referring to the drawings. and particularly to FIG. l, the principles of the invention are shown as applied to a capillary internal reflection cell l0 including two internal reflection transmission plates lll and l2. The plates ll and l2 may include parallel top and bottom Surfaces. The ends of plate ll may be beveled at 13 and 14, and the plate t2 may be beveled at 15 and t6. The bevels t3 and l5 are shown as being coextensive as are the bevels M and lo. The thickness of the sample 17 is uniformly distributed between the transmission plates ll and l2, and it may be as thin as two microns.

.a sourct: of radiant cncrgy ttl may be arranged at one side of the plates lll and l2 such that beams from the source lll approach the beveled surfaces t3, l5 at an angle greater than the critical angle. causing the radiant beam 5 io be transmitted into the transmitting media ll and l2 through the beveled edges t3 and l5. The radiant energy may. for example, be infrared. When the beams from the source lll strike the lower faces of the plates 'llt and l2. they do so at an angle less than the critical angle` and hence are totally internally reflected to the Lipper faces of the plates ll and l2. where they strike the upper faces at an angle less than the critical angle and are again internally reflected back to the bottom faces of the plates lll and l2. This continues throughout the length of the plates and l2. and the beams exit from plates l1 and l2 through the beveled edges ll and le and then pass into a conventional spectrophotometer 19. An example thereof is one designated as Model 2l, made by Perkin-Elmer Corporation.

As the radiant beams are internally retlected many times within the plates lll and l2. each time they are reflected from the surface of plates lli and l2 in contact with the sample 17, the sample will absorb a slight amount of the energy at those wave lengths where the sample absorbs. However. inasmuch as there is provided a great number of reflections within the plates 11 and l2, and each acts on the sample 17, the result of the radiant beam passing into the spectrophotometcr t9 is to provide a well defined spectrum from :t very small volume of material 17. attd which spectrum can be compared directly with a converttional transmission curve.

Referring to FIG. 2, the schematic showing is similai to that of FIG. l wherein a sample Ztl is not only provided between the plates ll and l2 but also on the exposed sur faces thereof. thereby providing a greater absorption of the radiant energy by the sample. and consequently renden ing the apparatus more sensitive.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, an analyzer is shown. lt may comprise a base 2l having a flange 22 at one ol its sides. The base 2l may be provided with a through opening 23 having a shouldered recess 24 extending aloig the longitudinal sides of the opening 23 for the reception of the internal reflection transmitting plate l2. Plate t2 may be securely fastened to the base 2l.

A frame 26 may be located on top of the top surface 2S of the base 2l with its one side against the innei edge of the flange 22. The frame 26 may be pivoted to base 2t through a pin 27 extending htrough the flange 22 and into the frame 26. The frame 26 may also include a shouldered portion 2li about a through opening 28 adapted to hold the top plate ll. and when the frame 26 is pivotally closed, the plates ll and .l2 Contact each other in a uniform manner stich that thin layers of a sample 17. in the order of two microns in thickness, may be trapped therebetween.

In order to secure the frame 26 to the base 2l. fom screws 29 may be located at the four corners of frame 26, which screws take into the base 2l.

A thermo-electric cooling module 21A (FIG. 6) may rest in contact with the lower reflector plate l2 of the capillary internal reflection cell l0, so that it may be cooled to a temperature in the vicinity of Mltln (l, within a short time in the order of about 3() seconds. Screws 3ft are used to hold the entire cell against the cooling module. They have springs 3l so that the cell can h: opened while against its module. When it is desired to trap a specimen a few microns thick, the capillary cell is opened as above described and its open end is located adjacent the exhaust of a chromatograph (FIG. 6) so that` the exhaust carrier gas continuously flushes the volume bounded by the reflector plates, thus preventing the entry and condensation of atmospheric moisture.

As the desired fraction leaves the exhaust, it condcnses between the two reflector plates of the capillary cell iltl` The thermo-electric cooling improves the efficiency of condensation even for high boilers. and prevents the condensate from being swept away by the carrier gas After the fraction has eluted, the delivery head is released, the ccll is closed tightening the crews 29 and 3). where-v upon it is removed and is then ready tor the spcctro` photometcr,

Placing the cell in the spectroptit'itomctet so that the source 'lll acts on the beveled edges 13 and l5 causes the` source .radiant energy to be internally reflected through-` out the length of plates ll and 12. and each ietlection in each plate from the surfaces adjacent the sample 1'7 will be reduced or frustrated" at those wave lengths where the material absorbs. This absorption takes place with each retlection with the result that a very thin filrn oi.' molecules can give rise to a strong absorption spectrum as a result of the numerous reflections in a typical plate, Particularly in the present invention where a plurality of stacked plates is employed. the number of reflections accordingly is greatly' increased so that the sensitivity of the cell is far greater than that of known devices of this ty As the radiant energy passes out of the plates ll and. t7. through the beveled surfaces ll and. t6. it is di rccted into the spectrophotometer 19 where a well defined spectrum from a very small volume of material can he compared directly with a conventional transmission curve` As an example of sensitivity, when 0.4 microliter of some liquid such as GC fraction is deposited over the rc' flectors in `a relatively uniform thickness of two microns (0.002 mnt), the internal reflection spectrum obtained 'will approach in appearance the transmission curve of the same sample contained in a 0.03 mm, transmission cell,

1n trapping and analyzing fractions with the capillary internal reflection cell of this invention, two important objectives are achieved, i.e., greater sensitivity than conventional methods without the use of a beam condenser, and a practical device for collecting the fraction directly. lt eliminates the time-consuming steps of transferring fractions, wherein a good portion of the fraction is often lost.

Although the various aspects of the improved capillary internal reflection cell have been shown and described in detail to fully disclose one embodiment of the invention, it is evident that changes may be made in such details, and certain features may be used without others without departing from the principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. An internal reflection cell comprising in combination, a base; a plate having p-arallel top and bottom surfaces, composed of a material capable of total internal reflection and including opposed transverse edges at an angle related to said parallel top and bottom surfaces supported in said base with said transverse edges exposed; a frame pivoted to said base; another plate having parallel top and ybottom surfaces, composed of a material capable of total internal reilection and including exposed opposed transverse edges at an angle related to said parallel top and bottom surfaces, and -coextensive with those on the plate in said base; and m ans for holding said pivotal frame in Contact with said base such that said parallel surfaces lie in the same plane to trap a sample therebetween.

2. An internal reflection cell comprising in combination, a base having a through opening therein a plate having parallel top and bottom surfaces, composed of a material capable of total internal reflection and including opposed transverse edges at an angle related to said parallel top and bottom surfaces supported in said base with said transverse edges exposed, said plate covering said through opening; a frame pivoted to said base; another plate lhaving parallel top and bottom surfaces, composed of a material capable of total internal reection and including exposed opposed transverse edges at an angle related to said parallel top and bottom surfaces and parallel to those on the plate in said base; and means for holding said pivotal frame in contact with said base such that said parallel surfaces lie in the same plane to trap a sample therebetween.

3. An internal reflection cell comprising in combination a base having a through opening therein; a plate having parallel top and bottom surfaces, composed of a material capable of total internal reection and including opposed transverse edges at an angle related to said parallel top and bottom surfaces supported in said base with said transverse edges exposed, and covering said through openings; a frame having a through opening therein, pivoted to said base; another plate having parn allel top and bottom surfaces, composed of a material capable of total internal reliection and including exposed opposed transverse edges at an angle related to said parallel top and bottom surfaces, and parallel to those on the plate in said base, said plate covering said through opening in said frame; and means for holding said pivotal frame in contact with said base such that said parallel surfaces lie in the same plane to trap a sample therebetween.

4. An internal reflection cell comprising in combina tion, a base having a through opening therein; a plate having paralle1-top and bottom surfaces, composed of a material capable of total internal reection and includ.- ing opposed transverse edges at an angle related to said parallel top and bottom surfaces supported in said base with said transverse edges exposed, and covering said through opening; a frame having a through opening therein, pivoted to said base; another plate having parallel top and bottom surfaces, composed of a material capable of total internal reflection and including exposed opposed transverse edges at an angle related to said par'- allel top and bottom surfaces, and parallel to those on the plate in said base, said plate covering said through opening in said frame; means for holding said pivotal frame in contact with said base such that said parallel surfaces lie in the same plane to trap a sample therebetween; a cooling module in contact with one of said plates; and means for resiliently holding said cell against said cooling module such that said base and frame can be separated.

` References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,015,949 10/1935 Maw.

2,056,791 10/ 1936 Logan.

2,819,402 l/1958 Watson et al.

3,308,709 3/1967 Harrick 35096 X 3,433,570 3/1969 Hansen 356-74 X OTHER REFERENCES Harrick: Total Internal Reiiection and Its Application to Surface Studies, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, vol. 101, p. 948 relied on.

Hansen et al.: Spectrometer Cells for Single and Multiple Internal Reflection Studies in Ultraviolet, Visible., Near Infrared, and Infrared Spectral Regions, Analytical Chemistry, vol. 36, No. 4, April 1964, pp. 783-787.

Hansen: A New Spectrophotometric Technique Using Multiple Atte/nuated Total Reection, Analytical Chemist'ry, vol. 35, No. 6, May 1963, pp. 765 and 766.

RONALD L. WIBERT, Primary Examiner F. L. EVANS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. XR.

Z50-83.3; S50-96; 356-5l, '74 

